An act of God and nothing else will be accepted
by DuRiechstSoGut98
Summary: Jasmine just wants to protect what she has left. Her mother was taken away by the Templar many years ago, and she'll be damned before she lets it happen again. Altair is willing to help, but only to an extent. How will she survive in this turbulent world?
1. Poisoned water

"Get her!" Screamed the all-too-familiar voices of the pain in the ass guards of Damascus.

"Don't you ever give up?" I sighed and leaped into a crowd of people, weaving my way in and out and eventually bumping into a man in a white cloak.

"Sorry, forgive me." I said quickly and ran past him.

He didn't let me go. Instead he roughly grabbed my arm and dragged me into a hay pile.

"What are you.."

"Quiet." He whispered.

"Damnit, she's getting better." A guard said in front of us.

I peeked though the bottom and watched as the guard walked away. I climbed out and brushed myself off. I took my hair out of a ponytail and shook my head, causing my dirty blonde hair to cascade around my shoulders like a waterfall.

"Why were the guards chasing you?" The man asked, climbing out of the hay pile.

From a civilian's perspective, it didn't look right that a girl was adjusting her hair while a man was climbing out of a hay pile.

"I thought it would be funny to chuck an apple at them. Apparently they didn't think so."

"Why would you do that?"

My sun strained grey eyes flashed.

"They harrassed my mother for years, eventually took her away to god knows where."

The man was silent for a full minute before he started scaling up a building.

"Hey wait! Where are you going?"

"Home." He answered, jumping from roof to roof.

I sighed and decided it was time for me to go home as well. I lived in the poor district of Damascus, trying my hardest to make sure that my father, sister and I had enough food to survive for another miserable day, even if that meant stealing it.

"I'm home." I sighed and opened the door.

My father and sister were sitting on the floor, playing some card game with cards that I had stolen from a few school children.

"Jasmine!" Abby screeched and clung to my leg.

"Hey sugar." I sighed and hugged her.

"Hard day?" My father asked, pouring a glass of water.

Yet another thing I had stolen.

"Yeah." I replied and took a sip. It didn't taste right.

I watched as he gave a glass to Abby and she smiled, taking a sip. She was only six, and had my mother's face, while having father's copper-brown eyes and deep brown hair. I can't say I look like my father, but Abby looked closer to my mother than I did. Dad always said that we reminded him of mother and that made him want to cry sometimes, so I swore I'd find her and bring her home.

That, or bring her body back for a proper burial.

Abby's lips twisted as she swallowed the water.

"Daddy, this doesn't taste right." She whimpered.

Father wafted the smell of the water towards him.

"It smells fine to me. Probably just some dirt.

No, this didn't taste like dirt to me.

"Abby, want to go for a walk?"

"Sure!" She chimed.

"Where are you going?" Father asked as we strapped out boots on.

"Just a walk. We'll be back, I promise."

"Don't do anything stupid Jasmine!" He screamed after me as I shut the door.

Abby smiled at me with her beautiful copper-brown eyes.

"So where are we going?" She asked sweetly.

"That's a good question." I said. "I'm not sure yet."

I walked away with Abby trailing behind me. She was a very impressionable six year old, so I tried not to do anything "bad" in front of her. We took a sharp turn down an alley way, passing by women with large jugs balanced on their heads. I kept Abby close to my side, away from the poor harassers of Damascus.

"Get off me!" She screamed and tugged at my leg.

Some poor harasser was trying to take her away. I quickly retaliated and grabbed him by the collar.

"Get away from my sister!" I grunted and tossed him into a wall.

"Come Abby, we're getting out of here."

She trailed close to my side until my knees felt weak. Without warning I tumbled to ground, scratching at the dirt, trying to crawl.

"Abby.." I moaned.

I got to my hands and knees and tried to crawl to her. My head was splitting open and I fell again, watching her fade from my view.


	2. Reunion

When I awoke, I was in a different alley with people passing carelessly by. The only problem was that my head hurt like hell and Abby was no where in sight.

"Abby?" I said drowsily and sat up.

I sat up a little too fast and fell back down. I took a deep breath and got to my hands and knees, trying to stand up, holding onto a building for support.

"Abby?" I said again, feeling the tunnel vision take over.

I shook it off and stumbled down the alley, eventually ending up back where I was before I passed out. I walked along, trying to ask people if they have seen my sister, but instead of speaking complete sentences, I was slurring incoherently.

"What's her problem?" Someone whispered.

"Please.." I whispered, trying not to fall.

Someone caught my shoulders before I could fall. It was a man in white robes, similar to the man who helped me before, but this one was different. His voice was different.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"My sister..Abby..she's missing. I don't..unh.." I felt like collapsing again and I was incredibly nauseous.

"Slow down. Describe her for me." The man said quietly. I hadn't even realized he had picked me up and was carrying me.

"She...she has..dark brown hair and..dark brown..eyes..she's..adorable."

"How old is she?"

"She's..only eight." I replied tiredly. "Put me down." I croaked.

The man obeyed and I ran into an alley, vomiting what was left of the poison in the water. I stumbled back and the man picked me up, scaling up a building while I clung tightly onto his cloak.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked quietly.

"To someone who may be of some help." He replied.

I still clung tightly onto him as he jumped across buildings and eventually stopping in front of a building covered in moss and vines with an opening that one could easily jump down into.

"Altair!" The man called quietly.

No answer.

"Altair!" He called again.

This time, a man who looked similar to him appeared. He looked just the man who had helped me escape the guards.

"Catch." He said, holding me over the opening.

"Don't even--"

Too late.

The idiot had dropped me, and if I wasn't so sick I would have screamed, but luckily Altair had caught me. He carefully set me down on some mats and pillows and I rolled over.

"Why did you bring her here?" I heard Altair whisper.

"She's looking for her sister. By her description it looked like the girl Garnier de Napoleuse had taken away.."

"Who?!" I shrieked, sitting up.

Altair moved closer to me.

"Garnier De Napoleuse is a doctor here in Acre.."

Ah, I wasn't even in in Damascus anymore. So how did I get here?

"So he is performing experiments on the poor here, and I saw him carrying away a young girl who fits the description of your sister. She was tough though, he had to knock her out in order to stop her from beating him."

Yep that was Abby. She may be young, but she was tough, thanks to me.

"Okay, so how do we get her back?"

""We", aren't doing anything. I'm going to assassinate Garnier."

"Fine." I said stubbornly. "I'm coming."

Altair sighed and started to scale up the wall with ease. I whined a little, knowing I couldn't do this.

"Just try." Altair said from the top, sensing my uneasiness.

I got a running start and grabbed onto an indentention in the cement, lifting myself up, but barely. I felt myself slipping, but Altair grabbed my hand before I could fall.

"Thanks." I mumbled, brushing myself off.

The walk to where Garnier was supposed to be was awfully quiet. Altair didn't say anything and I didn't dare make him say anything, seeing as he was an assassin. That's probably why he helped me in the first place, because he knows what it's like to be running from the guards. When we finally got the location, there was crowd gathering to see the "great doctor". When we found a discreet place in the crowd, a poor, shirtless and bloody man burst from the doors next to us. He would've knocked me over if Altair hadn't moved me.

"Help!" He screamed. "Someone has to help! The blood, the experiments..I can't take it anymore!"

Another door opened in front of us. A relatively large man stepped out in an apron and gloves that were saturated with blood. Seeing the blood and thinking it could be my sister's made me woozy. I held onto Altair's cloak for support and he clung onto my shoulder. I couldn't hear what the man's was saying, but I could almost hear Abby screaming for me to help her, I could almost see the scalpel cutting into her fair skin..

No. She was safe. She had to be. Altair moved forward, pushing through men and women and I followed, brushing past guards who gave me a strange look. I gave them a death glare in return. If Abby was dead, I'd kill anyone involved, even if they just looked at her body.

"Go rescue whoever's alive." Altair whispered in my ear.

I nodded and made a sharp turn, walking into a room that was filled with endless amounts of beds. People moaned and screamed for someone to help occasionally. My heart sank as I walked past people with scars on their abdomens, other without arms, legs, eyes, some were even dead, their stomachs bloated and their skin a dark purple with flies buzzing around. Some bodies were piled carelessy in the corners to make room for more "experiments". My heart sank even more when I saw decaying bodies of children tossed carelessly aside. My ears perked up when I heard a faint, muffled crying sound. I turned a corner and found a young girl curled tightly against a dying body.

"Abby.." I whispered, moving to her.

She didn't respond, instead curled tighter against the bloody body.

"Mommy.." She cried softly.

I glanced at the face. The faintly dirty blonde hair was caked with dried blood, the grey eyes dull and listless. I knew this body. It was my mother, the woman who raised and protected us for years until the guards dragged her away. This was her fate? To be stuck here and experimented on carelessly? The thought made my blood boil and I clenched my fists.

"Come on Abby, we're going home." I choked back tears.

"No!" She screamed and raised her head. It was covered in blood, and I couldn't tell if it was hers or my mother's.

"She's dead Abby, there's nothing we can do."

"She is not! She's still alive! We were just talking!" She cried and clung tightly on the decaying flesh.

"Abby.."

"Jasmine!" She screamed at me.

I sighed and stood back, letting her cry into my dead mother's chest. To my surprise, the body shifted in response.

"I'm not dead Jasmine." Mother whispered.

After all these years, she still had the soft spoken voice, the voice that could scold and love at the same time. Her grey eyes bore into mine, and I could almost feel her pain.

"Let's get out of here." I whispered.

"I can't move." Mother whispered and tried to sit up, but to no avail.

I sighed. "Alright. Abby, stay here and keep an eye on mom. I'll be back."

"Where are you going?" Mother called faintly as I walked away.

"I have some unfinished business to take care of."


	3. Hankerchief

"GARNIER!" I screamed bravely as I threw open double wooden doors with ease.

His gaze jerked to me and he smirked in an unappreciative way.

"Well, you look like a fine specimen.." He started.

I walked up to him and grabbed him by the collar, throwing him into the wall.

"You've experimented on my mother you bastard." I said lowly through gritted teeth.

I felt pretty brave, considering I had no weapons, and therefore no means to defend myself. He merely chuckled against my weak grasp.

"I thought you looked familiar. No matter, your mother is going to die soon, and her body shall be added to the pile like everyone else."

At this point my blood was boiling, as my anger got the best of me. I hauled off and punched him in the face as hard as I could, making my hand hurt like hell. The guards around him became alarmed, but not at me.

A brilliant flash of white danced next to me, and before I knew it, Garnier was limp in my hands and I was covered in blood. Altair wiped a feather in Garnier's blood and threw a beautifully crafted short sword to me. I caught it with ease and Altair backed up to me.

"Take out as many as you can!" He yelled and started to fight some guards.

I held the sword in my hands, unsure of what to do. I quickly recollected my thoughts and charged at a guard, who easily deflected my attack by punching me in the solar plexus. I doubled over, and at that point, jumped up and slit up his chin, causing him to scream and fall over, clutching his throat.

My God, I just killed a man!

And it felt damn good.

I slashed at another guard, killing him too. Altair killed the last for me, and a Templar came running at me.

"Oh shit." I mumbled and scaled up a wall, jumping onto a support beam. By the time I turned around, the Templar was right on my tail!

"Don't you ever give up?" I yelled over the panic of the people and steadied my blade.

He gave no response, only attacked, which caught me off guard and caused me to fall. Thankfully I had the grace and balance of an acrobat and quickly grabbed onto the beam and swung myself up at an almost inhuman angle and kicked him off the beam. He was not so lucky as he fell to the ground and died instantly. Altair glanced at the body and looked up, holding out his arms. I swung off the support beam, quickly catching myself and, when I was absolutely sure Altair was holding his arms out to catch me, I let go. The fall seemed to last forever until Altair caught me bridal style and set me down. He grabbed my wrist and attempted to drag me out the door when I caught my footing and stopped him.

"I can't leave them behind!" I yelled as a woman ran screaming by me.

"Leave who behind?" He yelled back.

"My family!" I took a sharp turn and to my surprise, Altair followed me. I darted in between people and finally came across Abby cuddling next to my mother.

"Grab my mother and I'll take Abby!" I yelled as I motioned for Abby to get on my back.

Altair quickly grabbed my mother bridal style and carried her off with Abby on my back following. Altair climbed up ladders with my mother over his shoulder as I quickly followed. I heard Abby cry out in pain as she was struck with rocks by the guards. I picked up a few and hurled them back.

"Take that you bastards!" I called down as I continued running, jumping from roof top ro roof top with Abby barely hanging on. I hated to think of what Garnier could have possibly done to her. We finally made it to the Assassin's Bureau where my mother was set down on some mats and pillows and I quietly set Abby down who looked tired and ill.

"Abby, let me see your body." I asked gently.

"Why?" She asked, clutching to her clothes.

"Just let me see."

She allowed me to lift her shirt up as I checked for any scars, cuts, bruises and other assorted signs of bodily harm. I spun her around and inspected her back. There was nothing.

"Can you take off your skirt for me, sweetie?" I asked gently.

If he had done anything to her, I didn't want to know, but at the same time I did.

"Not with him watching." She whispered and pointed to Altair who was standing in the doorway.

"Could you turn around Altair, please?" I asked politely.

He didn't say a word, but turned around as Abby took off her skirt. To my dismay and horror she had bruises going up her thighs. I sighed in frustration and Altair turned around.

"Just _what_ did he do to you?" I whispered.

She lowered her head and whispered, "Nothing.."

"Abby, this isn't nothing!" I said, raising my voice slightly.

"Well, the man who took me away didn't but the other man.."

"What other man?" I asked impatiently.

"He was dressed funny, he wore a big helmet on his head an' white armor with a big red cross in the middle of it."

Of all the damned people in the world it had to be a Templar. They just love making a reputation, don't they?

"He said he'd kill me if I didn't do as he said. He squeezed my legs an' it hurt until he saved me."

"Who's he?" I whispered.

Abby smiled proudly and pointed behind me. I turned around and noticed she was pointing at Altair.

Before I could tackle him and thank him, my mother spoke up.

"Thank you young man." She croaked. "I owe you my life for saving me and my daughter's vir--, well her life too."

I wanted to cry at the thought of Abby getting raped by some Templar dick head. Instead, I settled for speaking with Altair alone.

"There's really no proper way to thank you but--"

"That's because there's no need to. I was doing my job."

I almost laughed. I thought his job was to be an assassin, not a hero. Oh well. I reached into my pocket and drew a bright white hankerchief, which was ironic considering the dust and sand that blew around Damascus, and handed it to him.

"Please, take this." I whispered.

I almost felt like a Southern Belle and wanted to laugh even more.

He gently took it in his hands and rubbed it, admiring it almost. He didn't say anything, instead simply stuck into his cloak near his chest.


	4. Shadowmere

I smiled at Altair sheepishly and went back to see Abby and my mother.

"We have to find some way to get you guys back to Damascus." I said calmly.

"I don't want to go back." Abby pouted.

I sighed. She was getting very frustrating very fast.

"Too damn bad. You're going back whether you like it or not."

"But how?" Altair asked from behind me.

I opened my mouth and closed it. That was a really good question.

"We have to get horses." I replied.

"I have one already, outside the city. I can take your mother if you can buy one and take your sister." Altair replied, stepping closer.

Even though he saved my and my sister's life, I almost didn't want to trust him. I mean, a guy with two swords and a hidden blade near his wrist? I wasn't so sure.

"Okay." I replied and took Abby's hand.

"Do you have enough money?" Altair asked and helped my mother up.

"Yeah, I should have enough." I replied and helped Abby climb up the wall. She barely made it to the top while I tried again to scale up this stupid ass wall.

I took a deep breath and ran, managing to grab onto a molding, then struggling to grab onto a grating. I felt someone push me up and I sighed in frustration. I could have made it myself, thank you very much!

"So we'll see you in Damascus?" I asked as Altair easily scaled up the wall with my mother in his arms.

I almost envied his skill as I kissed my mother on the cheek and Abby gave her a kiss and a hug.

"Stay safe mother." I whispered.

There was always an unspoken affection between us. More than we would let anyone see. I loved her and she loved me, that's all that needed to be said.

"Go with God." She whispered and Altair sprinted away towards the city gates.

I sighed and turned to Abby.

"Ready?"

"Yup." She replied and climbed down a ladder to the streets. I followed and kept her close to my side as we reached a horse merchant.

"Are you selling these?" I asked as we looked at many different horses pawing at the ground, eating, napping, looking bored.

"Yes ma'am. Best horses around." He replied. "Do you want a look around?"

"That would be fine." I replied.

I bent close to Abby.

"Okay, choose wisely." I whispered.

She sprinted off and began ooing and ahhing at all the beautiful colors and breeds. She found a black mare fenced off behind the others, who snorted and stamped loudly.

"What about this one?" She called.

I walked over to where she was standing. This certainly didn't look like a black mare. She had dark red eyes instead of soft brown ones and she stamped loudly at Abby's presence.

"Uhh, I don't think so." I replied and tried to pull her away.

"No, she beautiful!" She insisted and wriggled out of my grasp.

"Abby, this is the horse from hell." I replied, looking her over as she galloped wildly through the small pen.

She could easily jump out of the pen, so why didn't she? I called the merchant over and his face immediately went pale.

"No, not this one." He replied. "She's vicious and she'll bite at anyone. She's the Anti-Christ."

I sighed and approached the mare. She stamped violently and snorted. I carefully reached into the pen where she moved to bite, but instead moved my hand up her nose and I smiled and scratched her withers.

"She's not angry. She's just tired of being boxed in."

"Oh yeah?" The merchant replied. "So why does she try to bite and trample me every time I feed her?"

"That probably because _you_ were the one who put her here." I retaliated.

He was silent for a while, which meant he was guilty.

"So how much?" I asked.

"For you? Since you're actually getting rid of her, 200 coins, no less."

"Fine." I replied and handed him the money. He carefully opened the gate, and that's when I noticed she was already saddled and ready to go.

I sensed her tension and grabbed Abby's hand.

"Get ready." I said.

The horse shot of out of the pen like a rocket and I chased her halfway down the dirt beaten path until I grabbed a rein and swung Abby up. She tugged hard on the reins with no success, so I ran faster to catch up, eventually propelling myself up with the helps of the stirrups and the reins. I tugged hard and called out "Whoa!" Over the noise. Abby clung tight to my waist as the horse balanced on her hind legs. She stepped back down and seemed to be calm for now.

"She very excited." I said to Abby as we carefully trotted through the streets.

"Yes." She replied, a little shaken.

"Got a name for her yet?" I asked.

"Umm..no not really. Do you?"

"Yea, I think we'll name her Shadowmere."

"I like that name." Abby replied as we brushed by city guards leading out of the city.

"Let's go see mom and dad, eh?" I asked.

"Yeah!" Abby replied excitedly.

I smiled and tapped her ribs and sped off into the setting sun.

I apologize profusely to LittleMinnie if she's reading this, I kinda sorta ripped the horse idea from her story :(

PLEASE DON'T KILL ME.

But if anyone reading this gets the chance, read her Assassin's Creed story. It's sooo much better than mine XD


	5. Liar

**Meanwhile, with Altair nand Jasmine's mother...**

Altair helped Jasmine's mother onto his white steed while jumping up behind her.

"Hyah!" Altair cried and whipped the reins, causing the horse to whinny and gallop away.

A quarter of the way to Damascus, Jasmine's mother started to cough. Altair immediately stopped the horse, jumped down and examined her. She was pale as death.

"Please." He whispered hoarsly. "I can survive long enough to Damscus, but no further."

"Don't force yourself, you might die before we make it." Altair replied and felt her head.

She burning so hot that Altair jumped slightly.

"Please." She begged again. "Just get me to Damascus and let me see my husband and children if they make it."

"Alright. I can do that for you." Altair sighed and jumped back onto the horse.

Jasmine's mother's fever kept him warm for the rest of the trip. It can get chilly at night, especially when you're headed towards Damascus, which was, more or less, a desert. They arrived at the gates where the guards immediately straightened up and scrutinized the pair.

"Why is she so ill, traveler? What have you done to her?"

"I have done nothing." Altair replied quietly. "My wife is ill and wishes to see her home before she passes."

The guards parted and Altair carefully trotted into the city, not daring to make eye contact with the guards. Jasmine's mother coughed violently and stained Altair's sleeve with blood. She managed to point to a dirty hut in the poor district, so Altair helped her off the horse and knocked on the door.

"W-who's there?" A cautious voice called out.

"It's me, darling. Let us in."

"Who's us?" He called back.

"It's your wife damnit, now open the door!" She was starting to get frustrated.

The man quickly opened the door and embraced his wife.

"Elaina, I thought you were dead." The man sobbed.

"I know. You were counting on that, weren't you?"

Altair felt the tension and stepped back.

"What are you talking about?" He whispered.

"The Templar took me away because you tipped them off. They paid you, and you used that money for your own purpsoses!"

"Elaina, I would never do that to you or the girls."

"Liar!" She hissed and coughed violently.

Blood splattered onto the dirt floor and Altair rushed to help, but was pushed away by Elaina's husband.

Altair struggled, but he managed to hold him back, and he couldn't kill him because of the Creed.

"Damnit!" Altair grunted as he saw her fall to the ground, dead.

Altair used all his strength to push Jasmine's father away and went to Elaina's body.

"She's dead you bastard!" Altair hissed and backed him into the wall, bringing out his blade.

Before Altair could give this scumbag what he deserved, he screamed, "ASSASSIN!"

Altair sighed and grabbed the man by the collar.

"You haven't seen the last me, or Jasmine."

Altair pushed through guards and ran around a corner, sitting on a bench and waiting for Jasmine and Abigail to show up.

---

"What do think's going on?" Abby asked as we trotted into the city.

"I don't know." I replied as I watched guards swarm in the poor district. Since when did they give a damn about us?

I carefully stepped off Shadowmere and helped Abby down and made my way towards our house. To my shock, that's where the guards were gathering. I saw my father shaking outside the house with a guard talking to him. When I approached him, he drew me into his arms with Abby clutching at his legs.

"Thank God you're here." He cried.

"Where's mom? Altair was supposed to bring her here...where is she?"

"Your "friend" Altair killed her! She's dead!" My father began to cry and Abby started to wail.

"Altair?" I whispered. "He wouldn't do that, would he?"

Father pulled away and looked into my eyes.

"Yes, he did. I saw it with my own eyes. Go look at her body if you do not believe me!"

I took a deep breath and headed inside. I needed real proof to whether he killed her or not. I walked in and felt my eyes begin to water when I saw her body on the ground. I walked around and bent over, seeing her cloudy eyes, the sure sign of death. I started to silently cry as I saw the blood in her mouth and blood on the floor. I knew Altair was an assassin, so I examined her body for any stab wounds.

"Okay, that's enough girl, out!" A guard screamed.

I didn't find any, but I also didn't look that much.

"Why didn't he kill you?" I asked father as I walked out.

He dried my tears and stared at me.

"I don't know, maybe he wanted me to suffer." He began to cry again.

I never though I'd have t be the one holding my father because my mother is now dead.

"What are we going to do, Jazz?" Abby wailed.

I bent down and hugged her tightly.

"I don't know." I replied.

I always knew what to do when a friend or a neighbor died or was taken away.

Now that it was incredibly personal, _my own mother_, I had no idea what to do.

I just didn't know.


	6. A Fork In The Road

"Abby, we have to find Altair." I whispered as she and I made out way through the crowd.

"Why, so he can kill us too?"

"No, so he can straighten things--"

I felt a gauntleted hand clamp over my mouth. I tried to scream, but obviously it did no good. I struggled until the man dragged me into an alley.

"You son of a--"

"Shh!" The man stepped out of the shadows. I tensed and relaxed at the same time as I realized it was Altair.

"What happened?" I ask lowly as Abby stayed close behind me.

"Your father killed your mother." He whispered.

I jumped up and felt my eyes burn.

"You're a liar! He would never do that!"

"Oh, then why on earth did he make no attempt to save her when she was kidnapped?"

"He made plenty of efforts!" I retorted.

"Oh yeah? Then where did he acquire all the money from?"

"What money?" I hissed.

Altair chuckled lowly and I tensed even more.

"You don't know?" He asked.

"Obviously not if I asked." I snapped.

"Your father got quite a bit of money by selling your mother to Garnier."

"She wasn't sold, she was kidnapped!"

"Yeah, and since when do Templar go poking around in the business of the poor?"

I remained silent. He had me beat there.

"Exactly. Never."

He paced around for a bit, thoughts boiling in his mind that I could not read. He finally stopped and I felt his stare from under his white hood.

"He bought water didn't he?"

"No, I stole it."

"Okay, so he _bought_ the poison for the water, did he not?"

"What poison?" I snapped.

He sighed explosively. This was getting no where.

"The poison that knocked you out."

"He didn't use poison, it was just--"

"What did it smell like?"

His question threw me off.

"What?" I asked.

"What did it smell like?" He repeated.

I thought for a minute, trying to come up with an exact answer.

"It smelled...kind of like...I don't know. Almost like dirt."

"He did use a poison. It's very rare and expensive."

"But what is it, exactly?" I asked.

"It's called Therok. It's commonly called 'The Transport'."

"The Transport?" I questioned.

"Yeah. You start babbling incoherently, then wander around until you pass out. That's why you were found in Acre. I sometimes use it to drug guards before assassination missions."

"You're a liar." I repeated, clenching my fists.

Somehow, the more he spoke, the more I wanted to believe him.

"Please Jasmine. You have to believe me, for the sake of your mother."

"Liar!" Abby screeched and punched him in the stomach.

Altair clutched her tiny throat and I lashed out at him, punching him in the face and gathering Abby in my arms. Altair quickly recovered and figured that a fist fight would go no where, so he stopped. I gathered my wits and asked again about my father's betrayal.

"Do you have any evidence?" I asked.

"None but my word against his. Even if we reported it to the authorities, it would do no good."

"But how could he kill her? We have no weapons in the house."

"Well, he didn't exactly kill her. He held me back as I tried to help her."

"Then he didn't kill her." I replied.

"No, but I'm sure he was abusive to her in the past."

"No, never." I whispered.

I did remember hearing screams, but I always thought those were simple marital fights. I didn't know what to think anymore.

"You know it's true Jasmine."

"I want to believe you..but.."

"But what?" He asked as I fell to my knees.

"I need some kind of evidence. Anyone who saw something, some kind of document in the house...something."

"Jazz, it can't be true." Abby whispered.

"Oh Abby." I whispered and clutched her shoulders.

Her deep brown eyes became wet as I started to speak.

"Abby, there's a time in every person's life where they have to learn to make a life-altering choice. You can't be a child forever, you have think on your own two feet. You have to examine everything around you and make your own conclusions, I can't do it for you forever."

"But Jazzy.." She whispered.

I stood up and looked down on her.

"I'm going with Altair to get to the bottom of this. You have to make your own choice. Will you come with us, or will you believe what father tells you?"

She remained silent for a while, crying her eyes out and mumbling things about mother and God.


	7. Final decisions

I watched, breathless, as Abby dried her tears. The look she gave me was fierce and determined.

"I believe dad and I think you're both liars."

She didn't have that childish voice anymore. She was all grown up at the age of eight years old.

"If that's what you think is right Abby, then so be it." I whispered and walked towards Shadowmere, who stamped impatiently.

Altair cast her one more glance before mounting his own horse. He turned the reins towards me and his horse whinnied softly. Shadowmere stamped her feet as I mounted her. I scratched her withers, deep in thought about Abigail's decision.

It must be deep because I just called her Abigail.

I whipped Shadowmere's reins towards the borders of the city. I noticed that Altair stayed behind for a moment, so I paid him no heed.

---

"Abigail." Altair said sternly.

Abby looked up and saw his handsome, dark face. He immediately turned away and spoke again.

"One day, you'll see we were right. For now, goodbye. We _will _be back when he turns abusive and tries to sell you off. **Don't** think it won't happen."

With that, Altair whistled sharply, and his horse whinnied into Jasmine's direction...

---

"It's about time." I remarked, slowing to a trot so Altair could catch up.

"I just had to talk to her."

"About what?"

Altair shot me a curious look.

"You still care?" He asked.

"Are you kidding?" I scoffed. "She may hate me, but she's my sister. I still love her."

Altair smiled so softly I just barely caught it. He had his face tilted towards me and I was awed by his beauty. His hair was a deep brown and was a little long and shaggy. His eyes were a bright bronze color when the sun hit them, lighting up every feature on his beautiful face. I looked away crestfallen when I realized I had been staring. The sun was just starting to set in the distance and I watched it intently.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked.

"Yes you--it..is." I corrected myself.

Thankfully he didn't notice. He stopped his horse in a small clearing.

"We'd better camp here." He said, leading Shadowmere to the clearing.

"That's a wonderful idea." I replied and demounted Shadowmere, tugging on her reins and clicking softly for her to follow. Despite the fact that she was the mare from hell, she was very well trained.

"Go see if you can find some wood, and bring it back here." Altair said, getting out camping gear. "And take this."

He tossed me his short sword and I swiftly caught it, remembering when we fought off the guards in Acre.

"I'll be back." I called to him, stepping into the desert.

"I don't doubt it." He called back.

When I was about a half mile from the camp, I realized we were in the desert. There's almost no trees the middle of the desert! Even if there were, I wouldn't need a short sword to cut them down, I could just snap off the twigs!

"Bastard." I whispered to myself and made my way back the camp.

---

Altair watched Jasmine walk away and sighed as he took out his long sword.

"Nice try." He said softly. "I know you've been following us, it's okay to come out now."

Four bandits emerged from the weather-torn rocks and smiled crookedly.

"We want nothing to do with you assassin." One of them said. "We want your pretty friend that wandered off."

"And you think I'll let you have her because..?" Altair asked sarcastically.

"Because you're smart." One of them replied and drew his sword.

---

"Altair, there's no--"

My rant was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice.

"Because you're smart."

The voice was deep and harsh, almost from years of drinking. Now that I listened more carefully, the voice sounded tantalizingly familiar.

I watched and gasped as Altair rhythmically cut down two of the men in one stroke, causing the blood to spray everywhere, including my boots. When Altair killed the other two men simultaneously, he heard me gasp again and looked in my direction. I stood up to greet him when he readied his sword again, looking at me with deep, burning anger.

"Duck!" He ordered harshly.

I guess I wasn't fast enough because he threw me to the ground. I quickly rolled over to see what the hell his problem was when a decapitated head fell into my lap. I faintly remember screaming as the man's deep brown eyes bore into my soul before I passed out.


	8. Shadowmere's gone!

I awoke to gentle patting on my face. I looked around and it was only Altair and I, no bodies around.

"What happened?" I asked as I got a roaring headache.

"We were ambushed, remember? A head landed in your lap, and you freaked and passed out.

I shivered, half from the desert night and the other from the memory. Altair looked around and the moon revealed his face again. He was more gorgeous in moonlight than he was in sunlight.

"I'm going to bed." He yawned slightly. "Since you've been out for a few hours, you can stand guard."

I fiddled with the short and sighed. "Okay."

Altair climbed into the white tent as I remained ever vigilant, nearly falling asleep as soon as Altair went to sleep. I decided to get up and walk around to warm myself up a little. After a few minutes Altair emerged from his tent and stared at me.

"What are you doing?" He asked drowsily.

"It's cold." I shivered.

He sighed and made room.

"Come in and get some sleep."

I was shocked by his offer, but accepted anyway. I crawled inside the spacious tent and noticed there was only one mat.

"Sorry, but you'll have to sleep next to me. I forgot to get you a mat." Altair said, laying down and patting the spot next to him.

"Whatever." I yawned and crawled next to him, falling asleep almost instantly.

---ALTAIR'S POV---

I watched as Jasmine curled up next to me and her breathing slowed and became even. She must have been tired, because she was already asleep. I crawled slightly closer, close enough to smell her hair. It smelled like jasmine..

I chuckled softly at the scent. It's funny that her name is the same scent as her hair. I carefully wrapped my hand around her wide hips. She was beautiful in every way and I was glad that Abby wasn't here to ruin things. I kind of lied to her about the mat thing, I just wanted her next to me. I yawned quietly and shut my eyes, waiting for dawn to come.

---NORMAL POV/NEXT MORNING---

My eyes fluttered opened as the faint blue sunlight penetrated the white tent. I groaned and tried to sit up when I realized Altair had his hand on my hip. I blushed at this gesture, I had certainly hoped it merely happened in his sleep. I soundlessly slipped out of his grasp and walked outside and stretched, greeting the morning sun.

"Hello to you too." I grumbled as I searched through my pack for something to burn and something to eat.

As I was heating up some random meat I found carefully wrapped in my pack, Altair awoke and met me across the fire.

"Good morning." I chirped.

He didn't answer, simply looked at the food with question.

"Don't worry, it's safe to eat." I rolled my eyes and carefully placed it in a cloth, handing it to him.

"What about you?" He asked.

I simply shrugged. "I never eat breakfast."

After Altair was done eating, I noticed that Shadowmere was gone.

"Oh hell!" I stamped my feet in the dirt.

"What's wrong?" Altair asked as I looked around frantically.

"Shadowmere's gone!" I groaned.

Altair lead his horse next to me and offered his hand.

"You and I can ride my horse if you wish." He said quietly.

Seeing as there was no other option, I packed up our camp, then took his hand, stepped on the stirrups, and pulled myself up in front of him. His hands hung near my hips as held the reins firmly, and whipped them in the direction we were going in the first place.

"Where are we going?" I asked above the noise of the wind.

"To Jerusalem." He called back.

Ah, Jerusalem. I had heard tales of its beauty, but I have never actually seen it. I wondered if Abby would be in Jerusalem, but that thought quickly subsided as I figure she would go back to father. I also wondered if Shadowmere left me to see to Abby, then I wondered why we weren't going to get evidence of my father's treachery.

"You shouldn't think so much." Altair said in my ear. "You'll hurt your brain."

How the hell did he know I was thinking?


	9. Men!

Altair let out a sharp whistle which hurt my ear a little, but his horse slowed to a trot as we passed by some of the guards on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

"Stop!" One man called out.

"Act sick." Altair whispered in my ear.

I instantly slumped back into his arms and moaned slightly.

"What are you doing here?" The man asked, giving us the up and the down.

"My fiancée is ill, we seek the doctors here." Altair lied.

"There are no doctors here, fool." The man said, his fingers drumming on his sword.

Altair leapt off the horse and yelled to me, "Go into the city, I will find you when I'm done!"

With that, the horse galloped away at tremendous speed. I didn't want to leave Altair there alone, but I knew he could handle himself, so I grabbed the reins and tugged hard when I got to the gates, yelling "Whoa!" above the noise. The horse obediently stopped and I hopped off, leading him to a bail of hay.

"Now you stay here, okay?"

The horse whinnied in agreement. I smiled and scratched his withers.

"Good."

I easily brushed past the guards, since I was a woman. I looked around for a place to lay low, but not low enough to look like a prostitute. The city was beyond beautiful, the tales woven did not do it any justice. I walked through the city, trying not to be suspicious or draw any unwanted male attention. I could try to go find the Assassin's Bureau, but that could result in me getting arrested from jumping rooftop to rooftop, or killed because I'm not an assassin. I figured I'd take my chances and look for the bureau. I climbed up a nearby ladder and used what little acrobatic skill I had to jump from roof to roof.

"Stay still." A voice whispered in my ear.

Before I knew it, I was out cold.

---

I awoke many hours later in what looked like the Assassin's Bureau, but I wasn't too sure. My body ached all over and I found that I couldn't move.

"Who are you?" A man asked in the darkness.

"My name is Jasmine." I croaked. "I am a friend of Altair's."

That was not the answer they were looking for.

"How do you know Altair?" Another voice whispered.

"He helped my mother, my sister and I escape from Acre. He killed Garnier de Napleuse. I was there, you have to believe me."

I tried to sit up, but immediately slumped back down when I heard swords being carefully drawn from their sheaths.

"You will stay here until he comes and testifies to your innocence. If he does not, then I'm afraid you must die."

I gulped slightly and stared straight up into the night sky, praying for Altair to come soon.

---

I guess I had fallen asleep because dawn was creeping onto the horizon, casting a lazy pink light across the bureau. I heard silent footsteps on the rooftop and soon enough, someone in white robes dropped down next to me.

"Jasmine?"

Thank God, it was Altair!

"What are you doing here?" He whispered.

"Can't talk, they'll kill me." I whispered.

A man walked out of the adjacent room and glanced at Altair.

"You know her?" He asked, gesturing to me.

"Yes, this woman helped me kill Garnier. She's safe, she won't say anything."

I sighed with relief as Altair helped me up and I stiffened in his arms.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I don't know." I growled. "Ask them, they drugged me."

Altair glared at the man in the doorway.

"You _drugged_ her?!" He demanded.

"We had no choice Altair, she was wandering dangerously close to the Bureau."

"So you don't drug her." He scolded as he lay me down.

I smiled at how gentle he was with me. He motioned for me to wait there until the sedatives wore off and he disappeared into the other room, whispering quietly. He came back out and sat down next to me.

"I hope you don't mind if I lay here." He said quietly.

"Not at all." I replied and move over as much as my body would let me.

"Thank you." He said with a smile and laid down.

Before I knew it, he was soundlessly asleep. I took this moment to carefully pull his hood down. He was more gorgeous than I thought he was. I smiled and played with his hair as he stirred in his sleep. I rested on my elbow and watched him sleep as a lover or close friend would do. My moment of epiphany abruptly ended when he opened one eye.

"What are you doing?" He asked, dangerously low.

"Nothing." I murmured and rolled over to hide my blush.

I could feel him staring into my back and I groaned as I felt my cheeks get hotter.

"Are you sure it was nothing?" He growled.

"Yes." I replied, my voice small and far away.

"Didn't feel like 'nothing' Jasmine. I wasn't totally asleep, I know you pulled my hood down and played with my hair."

"Ugh!" I grunted and covered my face with my hands as I rolled over.

He tried to move my hands, but I wouldn't dare to let him see me blush. Altair caught me off guard however when he tugged my hair, which I instinctively reached to slap his hand away, being used to Abby tugging at my hair. He snatched my hands so I couldn't cover my face.

"Why are you blushing?" He asked as he kept my hands in a firm, yet gentle, grip.

"Because you caught me." I sighed and closed my eyes tightly.

I could SWEAR I just heard him chuckle!

I opened my eyes and, sure enough, he had a fleeting smile on his lips.

"Women..." He mumbled and rolled over, letting go of my hands.

"Men..." I chuckled and lay on his back, drifting back to sleep.


	10. Damn leg wounds!

I woke up many hours later, the sun now casting a pinkish red light into the room. The sun was just starting to set. I looked around and found that Altair was no where in sight. I leapt up and someone in the other room heard me and ran out.

"What's wrong?" He asked quietly.

"Where's Altair?"

The man's shoulders dropped and he sighed, frustrated that I freaked out over nothing.

"He went to assassinate Talal. He'll be back before you know it."

"When did he leave?" I asked.

"Shortly after you went to sleep."

I sat back down on the mat and collection of pillows. He's been gone for hours, so he should be back soon. I heard the echo of the people in the distance, the screams of the guards, the running of feet..it was all so loud all of a sudden. In my sudden trance, I could someone heavily breathing, injured, stumbling on the roofs. The footsteps became louder as I dropped out of the trance, watching Altair fall from the roof, arms and legs bloody.

"Altair!" I cried suddenly and helped him up.

"Jasmine, don't.." He was so weak.

I dragged him to the mat and pillows and looked him over. He was badly injured on his left arm, minor cuts and scraped on his right, and stab wounds on both his legs.

"Let me help you." I whispered as I reached for his left arm.

He swatted my hand away with his right, and I became frustrated and pinned his right arm down, tying it to a pillar. I reached into my bag and brought out a clear liquid, tearing off part of my shirt to dab it in. I rolled up Altair sleeve and blood ran through my fingertips as I dabbed the liquid in his wounds, with him groaning in pain.

"I know, it's going to hurt for a while, A--"

I almost called him Abby. God in Heaven I missed her.

"Altair." I finished, regaining my composure.

It was hard to tell if he caught the slip-up, since he's almost constantly stoic. I tore off more of my shirt and carefully wrapped his arm, leaving it limp and staring at his legs.

"Untie me and I'll take care of my legs." Altair whispered, feeling my awkwardness.

I untied his right arm and he flexed it, feeling a little stronger than he did when he came in.

"Do you want to watch?" He asked.

My mouth went wide and I slapped him.

"Pervert!" I screeched.

Altair grabbed my hand as I reached to slap him again.

"I meant so you would know what to do with stab wounds."

I felt another blush creep up on my cheeks as I whispered 'okay.'

"First, I hate to say it, but you're going to have to unbuckle my pants."

I slapped myself in the face and groaned as my face was now completely red. It was dark now, so thank God Altair couldn't see it. He seemed to take some joy in my embarrassment as I slowly unbuckled his pants and pulled them off. At this point, the man in the other room had walked in to see if Altair was okay.

"Dear sweet God!" He cried and ran back into the other room.

"Wait!"

At this point, Altair was laughing, but I was even more embarrassed, if that was even possible.

"It's not what you think! He's injured!"

"I don't want to know!" He called back.

I turned and saw that Altair was laughing. I sighed in frustration and slapped his chest.

"It's not funny Altair." I growled through gritted teeth.

"Maybe not for you. I haven't had a laugh like that in...years, actually."

I was concerned that Altair hadn't laughed in years, but I put it in the back of my mind and tended to his leg wounds.

"Now you have to take the medicine and pour it into the wounds." He instructed.

I poured the liquid into one wound in his left leg and he bucked in pain. I held his leg down, but that didn't work. His legs were so strong it flung me into the wall. I had no words for that, he was _really_ strong. He apologized as I gently rubbed the wound from the same cloth I used for his arm. When I finished tending to his wounds, I pulled his pants back on and buckled them for him, considering he was so injured, the poor thing. I looked up and noticed he was smiling wickedly, which was not good for a master assassin.

"Why are you smiling?" I asked slowly.

"Because you're funny."

"How am I funny?"

"I could have done that myself." He said, almost laughing.

Through this entire time, Altair has shown me that there is more to him than assassinating. He was a pretty smooth, sometimes funny, guy. Despite his guise, I was a little upset.

"So why didn't you?" I asked, frustrated I went through all that embarrassment

"Because you're..."

"Adorable?" I finished for him.

"I guess." He replied.

He wasn't used to the whole 'compliment-a-girl-or-you-die' routine. I smiled anyway and crawled next to him.

"You're..'adorable' when you blush." He said again, sighing at the fact he said the word 'adorable'.

I smiled triumphantly.

"And you're just a dirty old man." I replied quietly, finding myself laying on his chest.

"And I'm _sure _a dirty old man would never do this."

I sat up to ask what he was going to do, but I was silenced with a kiss.


	11. Big Mistake

I must have been tired because I could not remember falling asleep. When I awoke, it was just starting to become light outside. Altair was no where in sight, but I relaxed when I heard him talking quietly in another room. I sat up and stretched, realizing that my horse was still missing and I still miss Abby.

"You're awake." Altair whispered.

He seemed surprised.

"Yeah." I replied, getting up and stretching. "Are we heading out?"

He nodded and scaled up the building. I followed suite and managed to barely get myself up. Maybe when we have the time I'll ask Altair to show me how he does that.

"By the way." Altair called out as he jumped off a building, and catching me bridal style as I followed his steps.

"What?"

"I found your horse, Shadowmere."

"Where is she?" I asked impatiently.

"A horse merchant is selling her for a ridiculous price." Altair sighed.

My heart sank. If it was Altair said it was a ridiculous price, then that mean's she's expensive. Suddenly, I had an idea.

"What if he's trying to sell her off because she's the mare from hell?" I asked Altair.

He merely shrugged.

"If I can convince him she's mine, then we can take her. If not, well, there's always the five-finger discount." I chuckled.

Altair didn't crack a smile, he simply kept walking. I wondered if it had to do with what happened last night. We should talk later, I noted to myself as we approached a pen with an angry mare stomping and snorting. Talk about Deja Vu.

"Excuse me, I believe you have my horse." I said politely, indicating Shadowmere.

The man snorted and looked down on me.

"Surely a woman like _you_ could not own a horse like this and keep her tame?"

Both Shadowmere and I became pissed at this remark. I nodded to Altair to get his horse, and he jogged over to the hay pile where his horse waited patiently.

"Sir, surely you must see this is my horse. I can keep her tame."

"One thousand silver." He said simply.

My blood was beginning to boil from this man's ignorance. I backed up from the pen and whistled sharply for her to come. Her ears perked up and she snorted loudly, easily leaping over the pen. I grabbed her reins and hauled myself up on her saddle, and Altair's horse whinnied not too far away as Altair and I rode away with guards screaming and throwing rocks.

"Follow me!" Altair cried into the wind.

I nodded and followed his horse that stomped on the dirt ground loudly, spewing dust behind him. I whipped Shadowmere's reins violently as she stumbled from a rock that caught her cannon bone and she whinnied in pain, but held her ground. When Altair were far away from slow-running guards, I immediately jumped off her and looked at her ankle.

"Oh my." I whispered as the pool pooled onto the dry ground.

I immediately ripped off a piece of cloth from my shirt and grabbed a vial that Altair handed me. I poured the green liquid onto the fabric and dabbed her wound. She whinnied and moved her cannon bone away, but Altair grabbed it and held her in place. I finished cleaning the wound and carefully dressed it, rising to stand as the sun began to set.

"The day went by fast." I remarked, trying to make conversation.

"Indeed it did." Altair replied as he led his horse to a dying bush and tied him to it. I did the same thing and tied Shadowmere's reins to a different, but still dying, bush.

"Altair, did I do something wrong?" I asked bluntly.

I couldn't stand the awkwardness between us.

"It's not what you did." He sighed and turned to me. "It's what I did."

"What did you do wrong?" I asked, clutching his arm.

He shrugged off my touch.

"I didn't want to kiss you. I mean, I did, but I can't let you get harmed."

Harmed? Was he serious?

"What do you mean, 'harmed'?"

"Just that. There's things I can't tell you right now, maybe I can later, but you'll have to trust me for now."

"Oh, so I'm supposed to trust you after you kissed me and stole my heart?"

Altair sighed explosively.

"Just go to sleep." He snapped.


	12. Going Home

I bit my tongue to prevent from losing my grip, and reluctantly rolled over onto my mat, which Altair had lied about not having. I sighed gently and sat up minutes later, noticing that Altair was asleep far enough away from me. I got up and paced, feeling the thunder like pounding of my heart. I was scared. Scared of what, I wasn't sure, but I was terrified. I pushed my thoughts aside and carefully mounted Shadowmere, scratching her withers and whispering in her ear,

"Take me wherever it doesn't hurt."

She seemed to understand my basic command, and whinnied quietly, trotting away from Altair. I looked back and almost regretted leaving Altair, but I noticed he wasn't there. Shadowmere sensed my trepidation and sped up into a gallop. Her previous owner trained her well, considering she felt my feelings and sensed my nerves. My eyes looked forward, but I was soon clothes-lined off my horse. I gagged and coughed as I landed on the dry desert ground, spitting up a cloud of dust. I couldn't see anyone and was about to curse when I felt weight being pressed on my body.

"Where are you going so late?"

It was Altair. Damn him.

"Just leaving." I strained under his weight.

He pulled his hood back and straddled my hips, seriously pinning me down to the point where I couldn't move. I struggled and kicked, but nothing leaned to my favor.

"Arch your back!" Altair whispered harshly, trying not to disturb the wildlife.

"What?"

"Arch. Your. Back." He replied slowly.

I reluctantly arched my back, barely a half an inch off the ground.

"Now quickly rolled over."

I did as he said, and he rolled with me, causing me to land on top of him. I opened my mouth to ask what the hell the point of that was, but he stopped me with a single finger to my lips.

"If anyone is straddling you, do this and you gain the upper advantage." He explained calmly.

I was about to get up when he pulled me back down, running his fingers up and down my spine.

"Don't tease." I whispered morosely and got myself up.

He took my wrist and spun me around the point where his bony chest stuck into my soft one.

"I am going to tell you something, but you must swear on your life you will not tell anyone. Not even Abby."

Abby. I doubt I'll even see her again.

"Okay, I swear." I replied.

He leaned close to my ear, and I melted when I felt his calm breath.

"I am an assassin."

I didn't jump back, or run away, or even slap him. I stood there, motionless, until he took the initiative.

"Are you not scared?" He asked gently.

"Not really," I replied, barely a whisper, "I kind of had an idea."

He nodded and we stayed close together for what felt like a millennia.

"I really do like you Altair. You're...interesting, to say the least."

I felt his hands slide around my waist and I clutched onto his neck like a lost child.

"I like you too. You're..."

"Adorable?" I asked, feeling Deja Vu come on.

"Hmmm, not the word I was thinking of. More like...beautiful."

I laid my head into the small spot where his neck met with his chest, the area that I knew my head fit into perfectly. My grey, almost listless eyes moved towards the sunrise, which was a mottled color of blues, pinks and reds. I sighed at the beauty until Altair let go of me and clicked his tongue, causing Shadowmere to come back in a slight trot.

:"Where to now?" I asked as he helped me mount Shadowmere.

He smiled, but the good, heartwarming smile. The kind of smile that you know will bring satisfaction to someone, but a satisfaction of revenge.

"To Damascus." He called as he mounted his horse and whipped the reins.

My heart sank as we galloped away,


	13. A Change of Heart

I followed Altair as he weaved in between dying bushes and we finally arrived in Damascus after a few hours of riding. I leapt off Shadowmere and groaned in pain as I got "saddle sores". I pushed the pain aside and walked into Damascus, clutching onto Altair's hand, showing the guards that he was with me. Altair started to walk in front of me and I reluctantly followed him to where I used to live.

"Altair.." I whispered, clutching wildly onto his arm.

"Relax," He cooed gently, "I won't let anything happen to you or Abby."

My thoughts drifted towards my memories with Abby, holding her when she was just a baby. I remember asking my mother to open her mouth so I could talk to the baby, even though I was eleven. I hadn't found out the real way babies were made until I was fourteen. Altair sharply brought me out of my thoughts by a shake of my shoulder.

"Are you alright?" He whispered.

"I'm fine, just a little daydreamy, that's all."

"Don't do that here, it could get you into trouble."

I nodded and we ended up at my old house. I stared at the door and heard the noises inside. I knocked on the door reluctantly with a trembling hand and an unfamiliar woman opened the door.

"Jasmine, is that you?"

It was my old nanny, Mrs. Takashi. I believe she said she was from Japan once, trying to start a new life. Her pale face was a stark contrast to everyone around here.

"Mrs. Takashi, have you seen my sister or father?"

"Why, I haven't seen Abigail in years! But your father gave the house, saying he was moving."

"Did he say where?" I asked impatiently.

She thought for a moment and said something about the rich district. I looked to Altair who shook his head in disappointment.

"Thank you, I have to go now."

She gave me a tight hug and told me to visit her sometime. I told her I would try, knowing full well that was a lie. I sprinted to the rich district while guards screamed at me to slow down. The only time I stopped was to tie my blonde hair into a ponytail so it wouldn't get in my face. After asking around and offering some money, I found the house my father and, more importantly, Abby were living in. I knocked on the door, feeling a little braver. Abby opened the door and she looked much different than she had in years. I noticed small, almost unseen bruises all over her body. She let me inside without a word, and the smile was gone from her face. When I bent down to take a closer look at the side of her face, which was covered by her hair, she turned abruptly away. I took a deep breath and stood up, walking into the next room and finding my father sitting in a chair with a bottle of wine in his hand, mumbling miseries to himself.

"Father." I said dangerously low.

He turned around and stared at me with hazed eyes. he was clearly drunk, I could smell him from across the room.

"Jasmine?" He slurred.

I stepped into the candlelight and narrowly dodged a bottle being flung towards my head.

"You're a whore, just like your mother and sister!" He screamed.

I didn't say a word, instead I let him continue on with his little rant.

"Your mother was always a harlot," He ranted, "and your sister was nothing better! And you come to torment me--"

He stopped in midsentence and grunted, falling to the ground with a thud and a blade in his back. Behind him stood a glowering Abigail who kicked the body.

"Good night father." She growled.


	14. Put The Weight On My Shoulders

My mouth was agape. _Abigail,_ the girl who loved my father, just _killed him_. Before any suspicions could arise, I grabbed my dagger and sunk it into the back of father's head. He gurgled and writhed for a bit, then blood squirted out as I rolled him over to see if he was dead. The squirting got slower and slower until it stopped, so it's safe to say that I made the killing blow. I took Abigail's hand and rushed out the door with Altair waiting and I threw Abby onto Shadowmere who whinnied and kicked from the sudden addition of weight. The guards chased us until I jumped onto Shadowmere and galloped away with Altair not too far behind.

After hours of riding, we arrived in what Altair called Masyaf. I helped Abby off and knelt in front of her.

"Let me see." I whispered.

She offered no resistance as I pushed her hair back behind her ear. A cut led from her eye to her head and a huge purple bruise covered half her face. I couldn't keep stoic from looking at her like this. I started to cry and she clutched onto me, crying her eyes out and trying to tell me something but I couldn't tell over her sobbing. She calmed down after a while and whispered while sniffling,

"I'm sorry Jazz. This is all my fault."

"Hush baby hush," I cooed, holding her close to my heart, "Nothing is ever your fault."

"If I had listened to you and Altair, none of this would have happened. I would still be..."

She began to sob loudly again and I held her closer to my heart so she could hear it beating. I whispered a lullaby to her that my mother used to sing to me. I sat on a nearby bench and rocked her back and forth as she calmed down. She still sniffled and huffed, but she was calming down.

"Jazz, he let them do terrible things to me." She sobbed.

My heart sank and I felt dizzy as I asked what he did and who were they.

"The men he owed money to. He let them..."

There no need for her to finish, I knew exactly what happened. I couldn't my composure for long, so I carried her up the hill and into a building where Altair said we could find him. A guard stopped us just before we reached the training grounds.

"I need to see Altair." I said quietly.

"And your name?"

"My name is Jasmine and this is Abigail."

The guard nodded and let us through. I went through the training grounds and up the stairs where Altair and his master were having a heated argument. I walked in at the wrong time by the look Altair gave me. The man handed Altair a scroll and whispered in his ear. Altair nodded and walked away, gathering his new sword and tossed me his old one.

"You can have this." He said as I barely caught it, Abby still in my arms.

He sheathed it for me as Abby sniffled in her sleep. He gave me a curious look and I glanced back at him with a look that could make a grown man cry.

"We'll talk about it when we get a room somewhere." I whispered.

Altair put his arm around my back and led me up a ladder and into a shabby, but somewhat decent, room. He pulled his hood back and welcomed the cool air as I lay Abby down on a nearby bed. I sat down on a dusty couch and held my head in my hands. Altair plopped down next to me and offered as much comfort as a professional assassin could give.

"What happened?" He asked quietly, being careful not to wake Abigail up.

"Our father apparently owed people some money." I whispered as my resolve began to crumble.

Altair shushed my sobbing to prevent Abby from waking up. I looked at and she began to sprawl out on the bed, breathing heavily in her sleep.

"Father owed people some money he couldn't pay back, so he paid them back by giving them Abigail."

Altair didn't understand at first, "But she's right here."

"No, he _gave_ them Abigail! Our own father who is supposed to love and protect us _gave___Abigail to strangers! They raped her!"

Altair carried me out of the room before my screaming and sobbing could wake her up.


	15. Kidnapped!

"Jasmine.." Altair whispered.

I flung myself into his chest and sobbed into his robes. He clutched my head tightly and gathered me into his arms, trying to suppress my sobbing. He gently kissed my head and I sighed, his heartbeat beginning to comfort me. I breathed shakily and laid my head in his lap. He played with my hair, twirling it between his fingers and breathing softly.

"Jasmine?"

I quickly sat up as Abby stood before me, yet again as a child and not a woman.

"Abigail, go to bed." I sighed.

"I'm scared." She whispered.

I stood and picked her up, resting her on my hips. I rocked her back and forth and carried her back to bed, laying her down and tucking her in.

"Sing to me." She whispered in the darkness.

"Not now. Just go to bed."

"Please Jazz? You haven't sung since mommy was taken away."

An eerie silence fell like a dark cloak around the room. I rubbed Abby's forehead and smiled faintly.

"If I sing you a lullaby, will you promise to go to sleep?"

"Yes." She replied, smiling widely.

I pulled up a stool next to Abby, gently rubbing her head and gently singing an old Arabic lullaby that my mother had taught me for when I was going to have children. Abby looked like she was a child again, clutching the blanket tightly and smiling. I looked to the moon and sighed gently.

"Alright, I sang, now go to bed." I whispered.

She rolled over without a word and fell asleep in a few minutes. After hearing her gentle and even breathing, I stood up. Heavy footsteps crossed the room and I quickly turned around, watching the figure appear and disappear as the moon moved between the clouds.

"Who are you?" I whispered.

Ice fell into the room as the figure crossed the room again, his face illuminated by the fleeting moonlight. I gasped slightly as I didn't recognize this man as Altair.

"You're worst nightmare." He replied gently.

I moved to protect Abigail but he was behind me, holding a cloth to my mouth and nose, and before I knew it, I passed out.

--ALTAIR'S POV--

I watched as Jasmine left the room, carrying Abigail with her. I never really had a heart, so to speak, (or that's what everyone had told me) but the look on Abigail's face broke my heart. Jasmine often complained I was too stoic, but this was probably one of the first times I'll ever show it. I sighed and covered my face with my hands. I stood up and crossed the room to a dusty broken mirror and closely examined my face. I suppose Jasmine hadn't noticed, but there were heavy bags underneath my eyes and a hideous scar across my cheek. I touched it and faintly remembered how I acquired it. I shook my head and heard heavy footsteps in Jasmine and Abigail. My glance quickly shifted to the door. I had left it open and I quickly, but silently, darted across the room. I peered into the room and watched as Jasmine try to protect Abigail, but her attacker knocked her out. I reached into my bag and drew out a throwing knife and hurled it across the room, neatly slicing the man's right shoulder. He grunted, looked back at me, then grabbed Jasmine, throwing her over his shoulder and diving out the window. I did not worry about stealth now as I ran across the room and looked out the window, the man no where in sight.

"Altair?"

It was Abigail. My footsteps had woken her up and my panic-stricken face and stance did not help either.

"Altair, what's wrong?" She climbed out of the bed and peered out the window, "Where's Jasmine?"

"She's gone." I replied bluntly. No use in trying to spare her feelings.

"What do you mean she's gone?!"

"Just that, she's gone."

She leapt out of the bed and punched my chest. Normally an eight year old pounding on my chest wouldn't be a problem, except she caught me off guard, which was rare, and my worry for Jasmine preoccupied my mind, which was even rarer. I didn't even pay attention to Abigail screaming at me. Why was I so preoccupied with Jasmine? What did she matter to me? Abigail's screams brought me from my thoughts.

"You're supposed to protect her!"

I grabbed her small wrists firmly by gently, and stared into her eyes.

"And I will." I whispered, standing on the windowsill.

The gentle night breeze cooled my sweaty face. I glanced back at Abigail, who's tears were scintillated by the moon reappearing in the sky.

"Stay here." I whispered and leapt out the window.


	16. Thank You

I awoke in a bleak, grey haze and noticed I was tied down and a gag was in my mouth. I didn't bother to struggle, my fate was inevitable. I merely lay there, waiting for whoever was going to come in here and get the deed over with. I heard heavy boots and breathing outside the door, and a man walked in, a red hood pulled far up on his head.

"Hello Jasmine." He greeted, piercing the silence.

"Mmmff." I replied, which essentially said 'fuck you'.

"Beautiful day, is it not?" He sighed and sat on the windowsill.

The window was enormous, and it was also open. It was still dark outside, so a chill washed over my partly exposed skin and I shivered. He noticed my shivering, so he walked over and tore off the rest of my shirt, causing me to moan and scream in protest.

"Stop your whining," He hissed, "Or I will give you something to whine about!"

I fell silent for some time until I heard light footsteps on the roof above me. It was merely my imagination however as it began to rain hard outside. I sighed inaudibly and wished I were outside running in the rain with Altair and Abby at my tail. We would laugh, run and splash each other, and it would be wonderful.

I wonder if Altair even knows I'm gone?

--ALTAIR'S POV--

I landed on the dehydrating soil, causing a small cloud of dust to lap at my ankles. I heard a soft sound behind me, so I turned around. Abigail stood there in her sleeping clothes.

"I'm coming too." She whispered, shivering slightly from the cold.

"Get some pants on at least." I whispered.

"No time. Let's go!"

I rolled my eyes and darted into the night, the moonlight lighting my path and darkening it. When the moon was out, however, it did not give me any advantage. The moon does not cast light, it casts shadow, as Al Mualim so often told me. That's why he suggested I stealth kill at night when the moon is out. It is easier to get away. Abigail tugged on my sleeve.

"Look." She whispered.

I took to the direction she was pointing. There was an open window where a curtain blew slightly in the breeze. I paid no attention to it until Abigail snatched my attention once more.

"I have a feeling that Jazz is in there."

"And how would you know?" I asked impatiently.

"You cannot smell the panic in her sweat?"

I inhaled the night air, which held nothing but the promise of rain. I smelled again. Still nothing.

"I smell only rain coming." I whispered.

"I smell a panic-ridden sweat in the air. I know it is her Altair."

I sighed, knowing full well that Abigail has known Jasmine longer than I have, so I decided that we would investigate this building. As we climbed up the ladder, I finally smelled the panic in the air. I knew it was Jasmine, because she was only person in the entire world who had sweet-smelling sweat. I smiled to myself at such a ridiculous notion when it started to rain.

"We can use the rain as cover." Abigail whispered as she climbed onto the roof.

"Yes." I replied, slightly frustrated that she was doing my job.

We walked quietly until we were just over the window. I made a few hand signals to Abigail and she seemed to understand, so I grabbed her wrists and lowered her down to the window, throwing her in. I heard a loud thud, so I assumed she knocked Jasmine's attacker over, so I took the initiative and threw myself into the open window. The man had backed Abigail into a corner, obviously about to kill her. I tossed a throwing knife into his shoulder blade and tended to Jasmine. She couldn't see it luckily, but I blushed slightly at the sight of her exposed breasts. She sprang up and clutched me tightly, probably out of embarrassment, the poor thing.

"Thank God you are here Altair. I missed you."

I hugged her back, and the soft skin on her back was a stark contrast to my dirty, callous fingertips. I handed her a shirt on the floor, and she rushed to put it on. Abigail leapt out the window like an acrobat, with Jasmine following. I watched her land and realized she was still dizzy from the ether her kidnapper had slipped her. I scooped her up in my arms and she clutched tightly as we ran through the raining night.

--NORMAL POV--

"Thank God you are here Altair. I missed you." I whispered.

I clutched onto to him, half because it was so good to see him, and the other half because my top half was exposed. He hurriedly handed me a shirt and I slipped it on and watched Abby leap out the window. She must have been watching Altair because she was as graceful as an eagle. I leapt out the window after Abby and fell slightly. I was still distorted and tired from whatever drug my kidnapper had slipped me. Before I could complain, Altair picked me up and I clutched tightly to his neck as we sped through the rainy night.

--

I finished putting Abby to bed and sighed, watching her gentle, sleeping form. She was turning hard and cold when she was awake, but when she was sleeping, she was still my baby sister. The only person I could rely on anymore. I stroked her cheek gently and jumped slightly when Altair entered the room.

"I did not mean to scare you." He whispered in the stark darkness.

"You did not scare me, merely surprised me." I chuckled, turning around.

We stared at each other for an eternity until I crossed the room and locked my hands behind his head. I stared into his deep, inquisitive brown eyes and wished I knew more about him.

"How can I ever thank you properly?"

I was answered by a deep, passionate kiss.


	17. Goodbye

I rested my head on Altair's shoulder and sighed. His hands hung loosely around my hips. The moon just barely licked at my bare feet before fleeting behind the clouds. I let go of Altair and squatted next to Abby.

"She's so innocent, it kills me to know that--"

"Don't think about it, you'll hurt yourself." Altair whispered, pulling me up.

I nodded and spared Abby one last look before disappearing with Altair in the next room. He laid his weapons down, pulled his hood off, then pulled me down onto the bed next to him. I lay my head on his chest and sighed at the darkness of the room. He softly stroked my hair and I could feel his breathing become slower as he fell asleep. I heard the patter of small feet and I opened my eyes to see a shadow before me.

"Jazz?"

It was only Abby, as I expected.

"Yes Abby?"

"I forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"Well, actually, 'we' forgot my birthday was last week. The day father died."

I sat up and swung my legs over the bed. I opened my arms and, as if she were a small child again, she crawled in and sobbed silently. Her head was buried within my breast and I softly stroked her dark hair and attempted to coo her, to prevent Altair from waking up and becoming involved.

"I am so sorry I did not believe you Jazz." She choked.

I stroked her hair and held her head tighter.

"There is no need to apologize for something that was never your fault."

"I could have prevented it if I just opened my eyes and ears."

I held her closer as her sobs began to die down. She began to sniffle and huff for air. I picked her up and carried her back into her room. A light drizzle started outside, and I opened the window slightly.

"The rain always used to help me sleep when I was your age." I whispered, tucking her in.

"I'm not like you Jazz."

Her comment floored me.

"What?"

"I'm not like you. I'm not like you or mother. I was always just like father, too quick to anger and speaking before I gave some thought. I will never have the amount of talent you have, and I will never find anyone quite like Altair."

Now I understood. She felt inferior because she had a childish crush on Altair.

"Do not sell yourself short Abby. You are beautiful, and you possess far more talent than you let yourself believe."

She smiled slightly, but still felt unconvinced. I kissed her cheek and disappeared into the next room where Altair lay, his arm over his eyes. I carefully slid into the bed, hoping not to wake him.

"Done now?" He said dangerously low.

I stirred slightly. He sat up, lit a candle that was nearby and stared at me. I averted my gaze out of embarrassment.

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I have been up since Abigail walked in."

"Oh."

Well, he had to be a light sleeper if he truly is an assassin like he says. He sighed heavily as if something was bothering him and he covered his eyes with a grimy hand. I rested my hand on his thigh and chuckled slightly from the last time we were in a room together.

"Is something wrong Altair? What is troubling you?"

"I leave tomorrow, I have no idea when I will be back."

So this was why he dragged me and Abby here to Masyaf. He was going to leave us here while he went on missions and potentially be killed. I would not stand for it.

"You are _not_ leaving without me."

Altair's brown eyes flashed with anger.

"It was not a question Jasmine, you are staying here where it is safe whether you like it or not."

"You can't make me stay here!"

I had really made Altair angry now. He got up and lumbered to a barrel that sat in the corner. He opened it and returned with rope. Before my brain could register what was happening, I was tied down.

"Altair, you--"

I was silenced with another passionate kiss that would make a virgin woman blush. Hell, I was blushing after he broke the kiss. The candle illuminated the lines on his face and a scar I had not seen before.

"You are staying here because it is safe." He whispered.

I leaned forward to kiss him again, but instead he merely climbed into bed with me. I watched out the door that the sky was just starting to get lighter.

"Goodbye Jasmine. I do not know when I will return."

"Altair." My eyes started to become wet as I cried.

He sprang up and jumped over me, leaning close to my face. He grabbed a knife and cut off the ropes tying my hands, which immediately found their way across Altair's back in a passionate hug.

"You are truly leaving me?" I whispered hoarsely.

"I am afraid so. I do not know when I will return."

His arms wrapped around my waist, and it was cold when he let go. I watched him gather his things and throw them over his broad shoulders. He spared one last glance at me, then turned away, not being able to bear leaving me.

Altair was gone in minutes.


	18. Fall of Masyaf

I awoke the next morning to the smell of Altair's hair.

"Good morning." I mumbled and sat up, realizing he was not there.

I sighed and remembered early this morning when he left me to do his missions without having to worry about Abigail's or my own safety. I walked into Abby's room, and as I expected, she was already awake. I looked out the window and saw her running through the streets with a new friend she had made and her mother. I sighed in relief and proceeded to dress myself properly. I walked out the door and down the ladder. As soon as I hit the street, I was unsure of what to do. Now that Altair was gone, I had nothing to do. I attempted to mingle with some of the women in Masyaf, but they were far too busy to stop for idle chatter. Abby ran full on into my skin and fell down, laughing dizzily.

"Abby, what in the world are you doing?"

"Just playing." She giggled.

"Excuse me." A voice asked behind me.

My body involuntarily shivered. I recognized this voice as my attacker from earlier. I turned around and he looked just as shocked as I did. Minutes passed between us with unspoken words. I wanted to strike him, but it was too public. He wanted to strike me as well, but it was too public.

"Do you know the direction of Acre, by any chance?" He finally asked, never removing his piercing blue eyes from mine.

"No, I do not." I whispered, not removing my grey eyes from his face.

He shrugged and brushed past me with barely an effort, causing me to turn around and watch him leave. I heard screams in the distance and horses stomped up the hill, nearly running me down. A man had pushed me out of the way and stared at me.

"Are you Jasmine?" He screamed over the panic of the people.

"Yes, who are you?"

"I am Malik, a close friend of Altair's. He told me you would be staying here, come with me, and be quick!"

Without hesitating, I scrambled up and followed him back up another ladder and into a large room with large windows, a plank of wood nailed to every windowsill. Malik quickly instructed me to walk on one of the planks. I carefully walked out, and realized I must have been miles from the ground. I began to back up, but Malik was next to me and relaxed me.

"I do not imagine that Altair has instructed you how to do an eagle dive?"

"No!" I screamed.

"Just dive, then roll yourself over on your back into the hay pile below."

As if I was actually going to land in a tiny, miniscule hay pile at the bottom of a possibly-miles-high jump! Looking down, I could barely make out the infamous white armor with a blocky red cross on the chest.

"God damn Templar!" I screamed as my blood began to race.

"On the count of three, we all jump," Malik instructed, "One! Two!"

Three.

_This is for you Altair, my love._

I jumped simultaneously with Malik and a few other assassins. The wind whipped wildly through my hair and I watched Malik flip on his back. I followed suite, and felt the wind tear my skin apart. I finally landed painfully into an enormous pile of hay, and blacked out for a few seconds.

"Jasmine, are you alive?"

I stirred and rose slowly. It was not Malik who had awakened me, but another who looked similar to Altair. I struggled to stand and made my way to Malik, who was tending to an assassin's broken leg who had not fallen correctly.

"I will care for him, Jasmine. You must cross the make-shift bridge, scale the wall, and release the trap we set for the Templar."

"I do not think I can--"

"Do not doubt yourself. Go, save Masyaf for Altair."

I took a deep breath and quickly ran across the bridge, which was simply a few sticks tied together. It fell beneath me, and I barely managed to get across before it fully collapsed. I jumped down off a small cliff and found the wall I had to scale. All of this was intended for Altair, who could have done this much easier than I could have possibly hoped for. My back and legs throbbed with a blinding pain as I scaled the wall slowly. My grip slipped several times, but with enough willpower and strength I managed to finish scaling the wall. As I climbed over, a note hung directly in front of several logs.

_Altair,_

_If you are reading this, then the Templar have found Masyaf. Luckily, I had taken the liberty of constructing a bit of a trap for them. If the gates are shut, then use the pewter rod in the corner to loosen the logs and crush the life out of them. If they made it through the gates, push the logs and take out any remaining opposition._

_Good luck my friend,_

_Al-Mualim_

I had not thought of Al-Mualim to be a friend of Altair's, with they way they fought. Judging by the yellowing paper, this note was fairly old. I found the pewter rod in the corner and rushed to it, sticking it underneath the logs and jiggling it. The rod snapped and a log nearly crushed me. I screamed in frustration, then attempted to push the logs myself.

I had absolutely no luck or strength to do this, so Masyaf was going to fall because of me.


	19. Rescue

I struggled to push the logs over until I felt the sweat trickle down my back. I screamed and stamped my foot until I heard heavy, struggled breathing behind me. A man in white threw himself against the logs, and I could barely see his face…

"Altair!" I screamed.

He ignored and pushed the logs with his good arm. His left arm hung limply at his side, covered in dark, sticky blood. His breathing was very labored and heavy, so I grabbed the other end of the pewter rod and shoved it underneath the log pile. With a earth-shattering thud, the logs finally gave way. I rolled some of the excess logs off and watched as they crushed humans and horses alike. Altair struggled to get onto a beam, preparing for an eagle dive. I climbed onto another beam and prepared myself as well. He spared me a glance and gave me a slight nod. At the same time we spread out arm out and dived off. We were falling at the same rate and even flipped at the same time. I, unfortunately, was lighter than Altair, and the prevailing winds managed to just barely blow me past the hay pile. I landed safely, not noticing my injury and sprung up as Altair handed me his short sword.

"They have gotten through," He called to me, pushing logs aside, "Take out as many as you can."

I nodded and ran forward, immediately falling over. I struggled to stand up and noticed that my foot was pointed in the wrong direction. Altair forced me to sit down and ripped off a piece of his clothing and shoved it in my mouth. He laid me down and hovered over me.

"This will hurt." He whispered and twisted my ankle in the proper position.

I screamed loudly, but was barely muffled by the gag. Altair removed it and helped me up. I ran towards the gates of Masyaf, hoping that Abby had not been caught by the Templar. I ran forwards, cutting the legs of various soldiers while keeping my head down. I stabbed a soldier multiple times in the chest, but was cut across the back by his comrade. Altair managed to kill him and I ran in and out of houses looking for Abby. The screams of the people were too loud to decipher any possible cries from Abby. I finally found her cornered in a wall fighting three soldiers with a bleeding head, arm and chest. She had a single knife in her hand, fighting them at a distance. I didn't wait for Altair to do something, so I charged forward, stabbing one guard in the stomach, quickly retrieving the blade and slitting the throat of another. Abby took advantage of this sudden attack and leapt onto the third guard, stabbing him in the eye multiple times. After she had finished killing him, she threw her arms around me. I quickly hugged her back.

"We do not have time for this," I rushed, "There is still many Templar and guards around."

She nodded and understood. All three of us, along with the help of other assassins, took care of the rest of the invaders.

--

"Will you stay still?" Altair said, frustrated I kept wriggling.

"It hurts." I replied, topless on my stomach as he treated the wound across my back.

"It is going to hurt, you cannot prevent it." He sighed and dabbed more liquid onto my back. I clenched my teeth and squeezed my grey eyes shut as I tightly gripped the pillow. He slowly moved the cotton swab up and down my back and around my hips. I whimpered slightly from the burning sensation it brought and he finally stopped, reaching behind him for some gauze.

"Keep this wrapped," He instructed, wrapping it around my back, "Otherwise, it will become infected and be even more painful to treat."

"Yes, of course." I replied, still laying down.

I saw Altair smile mischievously, and I sat up, covering my breasts.

"Before you can think about touching me, I must treat your wounds."

"They are treated already."

I stood up and wrapped myself in Altair's old clothing. I laid him down on the bed and removed the top half of his outfit. His arm gushed fresh blood and I looked at it, grabbing the liquids Altair used on me.

"Would you like a gag?"

"No." He replied shortly, angry that I was treating his wounds.

I shrugged and dabbed a cloth in the liquid, running it gently over his arm. He inhaled sharply and gritted his teeth, but I continued, going through several cloths. I put my extremely dirty blonde hair into a messy ponytail to keep my hair out of my eyes and I carefully wrapped Altair's arm.

"Is that better?" I asked, pinning the bandage in place.

"Yes." He sighed.

I smiled and kissed his forehead gently.


	20. Spy

Alright, in this chapter I'm correcting a few mistakes. As for the other ones, like the southern belle remark, that was more or less a phrase that the reader could relate to. As for everything else, well, I'm work it out eventually.

--

I corked the bottle and carefully placed them back where I had found them when I heard Altair's bed groan as he sat up.

"Altair, lay down. You are not well."

"Just answer a few questions for me."

"Of course. Ask."

"Why don't you cover your head? Arabic women always have their heads covered Jasmine."

"My head?" I whispered and touched it.

"And another thing," He said sharply, leaning towards me, "Your hair is blonde. Tell me, when is the last time you saw a blonde Arabic woman?"

I palms began to sweat as I gulped slightly and tried to push Altair down.

"Please Altair, go to sleep. You are ill."

"I am not ill." He hissed and pushed me off which made me land on the floor.

"And you sleep in the same bed as I. Any normal Arabic woman would be severely punished for this, yet you have escaped any means of it."

I scrambled off the floor and ran towards the door, opening it and jumping off the ladder, which put unwanted weight onto my wounded ankle. I ran with a terrible limp in the darkness, trying to find any kind of shelter. I heard hard breathing behind me and saw that Altair was running full speed for me. I ducked into a dark alley and fumbled along, having no light to guide me. Altair had no trouble finding me and I felt a hand grab my hair and pull me back.

"Get off!" I whispered harshly and grabbed a knife I had stolen from Altair and cut my hair from his grip.

I heard him swear, but I did not stay long to hear what he had said as I continued to run, still limping. Many guards tried to stop me and ask what is wrong, but I passed right by them. They drew out their swords and looked about suspiciously, but that would not stop Altair. He was an assassin.

And sooner or later he was going to find out my secret.

I continued to run and finally ducked behind a stable. The horses whinnied and stamped nervously, but I hushed them back into sleep. The moon was high in the sky now, giving me no where to hide. I was sure that Altair knew this, because I heard quiet footsteps around the stable. He was so quiet, he did not even arouse the horses.

"I know you are here," He whispered, "Why did you run?"

I carefully got onto all fours and attempted to crawl away, but the sound of dead grass gave me away, because soon I felt a cloth go around my mouth and a strong arm go around my waist. He dragged me into an alley that no one had ever known about, judging by the decay of bodies. Altair let me go, but strangled me to the point where I was on my knees.

"Why do you not look Arabic?" He screamed.

I tried to wrench his hands free, but it did not work. Instead, I took another knife out and slashed his wrist, which made him let go. He winced for a brief second, but recovered and grabbed my arm, pinning it behind me and slamming me into a wall.

"Answer me!"

"Never!" I screamed and tried to free myself.

This did not work and resulted in even more pain. I could feel the lose-lose situation creeping up on me, but if I valued my arm unbroken, then I must tell him the truth, no matter how much it hurt him or Abigail. She was not even my sister, for that matter. I tried to free myself one more time, but that still did not work.

"Answer me now Jasmine! Why do you know how to handle a sword like an assassin!"

"I am a thief Altair! You know this!"

He let my arm go and spun me around harshly. The moon now lit his entire face, which was covered in even more scars than I had originally thought. He ducked away from my vision and kept his gaze low to the ground.

"How do you know everything an assassin knows? You are a woman!"

"I watch you do it all the time. It is not difficult."

"It is not difficult for an assassin Jasmine. You are a mere peasant girl!"

"I am much more than a mere peasant girl Altair!"

"Oh? What else could you be?" He asked, not expecting the answer I would give him.

"I am a spy for the Templars!"


	21. On the Run

I immediately shut my mouth. What have I done? I just revealed myself! My palms began to sweat as Altair froze in the moonlight, his face looking more menacing since it was hidden within shadow.

"What?" He asked maliciously.

"I am a spy." I repeated.

His movements were brief, but like lightning as he threw me into the wall.

"Explain then, about your family."

I squirmed, but his grip was beginning to hurt.

"Abigail isn't my sister. My mother and I were sent here to gather information about possible 'assassins' that lived in secret here. We were to establish a 'family' and appear normal."

"And that is where Abigail and your father came from?"

"Yes. Abigail is my father's daughter, but she was so young that she thinks that we are sisters. Over time, my mother refused to spy anymore, so the task fell to me."

"Why did she refuse?"

"She fell in love with Adham. His name fit him because he was a dark man."

Altair released me, but I made no move to attack him. I made no move to run away. I was tired of running. Running was all I ever did in life, and it was time to bring this to a close.

"So what will you do now?" Altair asked, pacing back and forth, never removing his eyes from me.

"I will most likely leave."

"That would be a wise decision."

I turned around to leave, but Altair stopped me.

"Why did you become a Crusader in the first place? Women are not allowed."

"I am no such thing. Some people say I am, but my name will not make its way into history. I wanted to be free of sin, to help recapture the Holy Land."

Altair remained silent. I turned around to leave, and he let me go.

"Goodbye Altair. Perhaps our paths will cross again."

"I do not think so, Jasmine. Goodbye."

I walked down the dark alley, nearly collapsing from Altair's malicious glare.

--

I awoke in another alley, on top of a pile of hay. I had no idea what time or day it was, but that did not matter. I needed to get back to Europe before any word of me being a spy could make its way towards Al-Mualim. I walked through the streets, looking at the tall buildings and people buying food from the local vendors. My stomach grumbled, but regrettably, I had no money. I noticed I was still in Masyaf, though it offered me little protection now. I left the city walls and grabbed a horse, getting myself up onto the saddle, and riding away towards the west.

--ALTAIR'S POV--

The sound of my leather boots hitting the dirt haunted me. They seemed to be heavier today as I made my way to see Al-Mualim. How could Jasmine betray me like this? No, how could I have thought that she could be my wife? Abigail will be crushed when she hears the news. I stopped in front of Al-Mualim's table as he tended to his pigeons again.

"You wanted to see me?" I said, trying not to lose my temper with this man.

"Ah, Altair, how good it is to see you. I am afraid I have terrible news."

I put my hands behind my back, straightening up and feeling knots tie in my abdomen.

"Your friend, Jasmine, is a spy for the Templars."

I tried to act surprised.

"A spy? How do you know?"

"A trusted brother said he saw her speaking with someone, and she revealed herself as such."

"So what must be done?" I asked, but I already knew the answer.

"She must be eliminated."

"And I must be the one to do it?" I sighed.

He smiled wickedly. This man had this planned from the beginning.

"Exactly."

--NORMAL POV--

I have just learned that everyone in Masyaf knows I am a spy. Paper and ink is becoming sparse, so I have been trying to write my story for many moons now. It is on several sheets, I do not think anyone will find it. My story is lost to the wind. I write this now as my hand shakes. If Altair should find this, I want him to know that I wanted to give this all up and turn away, like my mother did many years ago. I wanted him to be my husband, and I wanted to live a happy life. That is not the case now, as I am on the run.

Altair will soon find me, and I will be killed eventually. My name is Jasmine Haddad, daughter of the late Elizabeth Haddad. I am a spy for the Templars because I wanted to be free of sin and recapture the Holy Land. Whoever shall read this, please do not let me story be washed away by time and sand. If Altair should read this, I am sorry my love.

I never meant to hurt you.


	22. Traitor

--ALTAIR'S POV--

I had been riding for days, keeping a sharp eye out for anyone that may possibly resemble Jasmine. Funny that she has blonde hair, one would think it would be easy to spot her in a crowd, but she probably knows I am coming for her. She may act just like any other Arabic woman. I finally stopped in Damascus, hoping to find her. If she is intelligent enough, she will not be here. If she is here, however, than it has been a short journey for her.

"Coins, please? I need coins!" A beggar woman called to me.

She tugged on my clothing, which was irritating, so I pushed her away. She came back, squawking for coins.

"I will give you coins if you can supply me with information." I said, striking a deal.

"But sir! I know nothing!"

"You may know more than you think." I replied, jingling some coins in my hand.

She pondered for a moment, looking around to make sure that no other beggar women knew of me. She came closer and began to whisper.

"Alright. What is it that you would like to know?"

"Do you know of a woman named Jasmine Haddad? She is around this height, has grey eyes and blonde hair. Have you seen her or know of someone who has?"

"I have heard this name, yes, but I have never seen her before in my life."

Jasmine had done well to cover her tracks. I jingled more coins in my hand to tempt her. She bit her lip and looked around, kicking her feet, then sighed, snatching the coins from my hand.

"She has fled this city for Jerusalem. She is trying to avoid a man named Altair Ibn Al-Ahad. You are not that man, correct?"

(AN: If I got Altair's surname wrong, please let me know.)

"No, I am her brother. She fled home several weeks ago and I have been looking for her since." I lied.

The woman nodded, then walked away with her coins while I got on my horse and headed for Jerusalem.

--JASMINE'S POV--

Jerusalem was such a big city. I had not been here in months, and things had changed so much. It was even greener than before and there were many more artists trying to sell their work. If I was not on the run from an assassin, I would have bought a pot or two.

"Jasmine!" I heard someone whisper harshly.

It was a beggar woman I had hired to keep an eye out for Altair. She beckoned me over and held her hand out for a coin. I put one gently into her hand and she pulled me into an alley.

"Makarim has given away your position. Altair knows you are here!"

I clutched at my chest where my heart was beating hard and fast. My life was coming to an end, but I still had a chance to run. I still had one last chance to get away.

"You have done well to run Jasmine, but it will do you no good now."

I clenched my teeth and felt my body begin to shiver in the hot middle-eastern sun. I turned around and my heart began to become faster and slower at the sight of Altair.

"Altair. You are here in Jerusalem."

"You know I would search the world for you, traitor."

He reached for his long sword, and at the same time I had reached for my short sword. It was not mine by definition, Altair had forgotten to get it back. He smirked at the sight of his sword.

"I am truly surprised you still have my sword. I will have to get that back after you die."

I was not moved by his will to kill me.

"That is if you have a hand left to take it back." I growled, readying myself.

He remained still, which annoyed me since he was a master assassin and I was trained with the Knights Templar. It was rumored that the Templars were the near equivalent of an assassin. Altair caught me off guard and swung at me, cutting my right arm. I winced and breathed sharply, but I did not let that stop me. I ducked as he swung for my head and I cut deeply across his knees. He buckled and fell to the ground in pain as I ran back into the city, screaming that an assassin had tried to kill me.

Not far from the truth, I thought bitterly.

--ALTAIR'S POV--

That little wench! Jasmine had cut me right across the knees so I could not move and she had alerted the guards to my position. If I did not move quickly, then I would surely die. Suddenly I felt a pair of arm go around me and pull me into another alley.

"Shh, do not say a word." She whispered softly as she tucked me into a bail of hay.

I remained quiet as I watched her feet in front of me, with the rushing feet of multiple guard near her.

"You," They screamed, "What happened to the assassin in that alley?"

"Assassin?" She remarked, trying to sound innocent, "I had no idea there were assassins here."

"You lie." He hissed and I heard the faint sound of a sword being drawn from its hilt.

I would have jumped to save this beggar woman, but my legs were too badly injured. I had wondered why she would risk her life for me when I was trying to kill her friend. During my thinking process, I heard the nauseating sound of blade upon flesh an her body fell limp before my eyes. The guard grumbled and walked away, swearing that they had lost me again. I crawled out from the hay and rolled her head over, noticing she still had a flicker of life in her.

"Why would you help me," I asked quietly, "I am trying to kill your friend."

She clutched my hand weakly, and I knew there was no hope of saving her.

"Nothing deserves to die. Not even an assassin or a traitor."

With her last words, she died in my hands. I stood up and walked away from her body with little remorse.

Traitors deserve to die, no matter how close they were to you.


	23. The End

You guessed it. It's the end of the story. There might be a sequel, I don't know yet. Love it or hate it, I don't much care.

Ooh, and update! There's a poll in my profile, check it out when you're finished.

--

I have been avoiding Altair for several days now, it does not seem that he will find me now. I have told you my story for several purposes, mainly because I hope that Altair will read after my death and know my true feelings for him, and how badly I wish to turn my life around and be with him until I died. That is not the case anymore, and I do not think he would even believe me if I would tell him this. I also wrote my story to apologize to my dearest sister Abigail. She was never truly my sister, but we watched each other's backs like sisters, and I will treasure that until I die. I found myself roaming through Acre, speaking to a woman when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"I need to speak with you. Now."

"Of course."

"Meet me at the nearby inn immediately."

He walked away and I turned around to follow him. I walked upstairs and gently knocked on the door of the man who had approached me in the streets. When he opened the door, I knew it was Altair.

"How do you always find me?" I asked gently.

"I have a knack for such things." He said, his hand gently resting on his sword.

I was just as wary, but my sword was actually drawn. Altair held his hands up in defeat.

"I did not bring you here to fight." He whispered.

"Then put your sword down, over there in the corner."

He obliged, but disarmed me before I knew what was happening. Before I could react to this, he kissed me so hard he knocked back onto the bed. I wanted to strike him, to push him off and kill him, but I couldn't. My heart knew that I wanted this, so I gave in willingly. I felt sinful for what I was about to do, but I did not care.

All I cared about was Altair.

--

I was asleep when I felt cold metal against my breast. I knew what this was before I even opened my eyes. It was Altair, fully clothed, holding a sword to me.

"Of course." I whispered, kicking the blade out of Altair's hand while cutting my own ankle.

I grabbed Altair's short sword and held it against him as the blood dripped onto the floor. I was naked, with nothing to protect me but my own skin, but I did not care. I had fallen for another one of Altair's tricks.

"Get dressed, I want you to have some kind of protection." He hissed.

"I would never honor a simple request from you." I sighed and attacked him.

We parried for what seemed like hours until Altair slashed deeply across my abdomen. I stumbled momentarily, but I did not give up. Blood soaked the floor beneath me, but I refused to give up. Altair kicked my bad ankle, causing me to topple to the floor. He stood over me with a sword over my chest.

"Kick my bad ankle, Altair? That is low, even for you."

He did not falter. I could see in his eyes he wanted to kill me, but he was unable. I wanted him to kill me, for what I had done to him, what I had done to his trust. I could see he was running over his memories with me in his mind.

"Kill me Altair. End this trouble, go back to Al Mualim and get your reward."

"This is not about Al Mualim or a reward. It is simply about your betrayal to me."

"Then kill me and bring an end to your suffering! You are a master assassin, trained to kill traitors! _Kill me!_"

He still did nothing. I lifted my own sword to end his suffering, but he knocked it away from me. He sheathed his sword and yanked my naked body to my feet. He glared hard at me and handed me my clothing.

"Leave Jasmine. Leave the Middle East and don't you dare return. I never wish to see your face here again."

"Why not kill me," I said between gritted teeth, "It would make your job easier."

"Because you having to suffer for what you have done to me is punishment enough. Having to live with what you have done to innocent people is worse than death."

I dressed myself, and sheathed Altair's sword. I had intended to keep this, whether he had wanted it back or not. I was strapping my boots on when I heard metal drawn from its sheath.

"Move Jasmine. Time is not on your side. I am not the only one looking for you, I am just the only one who has perused every city looking for you."

I gathered what little possessions I had in my bag and faced Altair. He ran his fingers through my hair and traced my face for the last time. His eyes were difficult to read, but I kissed him goodbye.

"Leave Jasmine, and do not let me see you here again. Ever."

"Yes Altair. Thank you for sparing me."

"Go." He hissed.

I took my pack and walked out the door, but stopped.

"Altair?"

"What?"

"Give my regards and love to Abigail, should you see her."

He said nothing, so I continued out the door and downstairs and took a horse, gently galloping out of the city and towards the west, back to my first home.

I never saw Altair again for as long as I am alive, but he left a small piece of him with me that night we spent together. A small piece that would grow and I would cherish for the rest of my life.


End file.
